Against the Odds
by CountingCrows
Summary: Takes place 20 years before ToS. The Desians have just came to Iselia to build their human ranch. Max and his friends vow to stop them...


I do not own tales of symphonia or the places in ToS that i mentioned. However, Max, Ponto, Kenny, and Vernauga are all characters i made up.

**Against the Odds**

Chapter 1 - The Desians

**About 20 years before Tales of Symphonia took place...**

It was a typical lazy day in the village of Iselia. A boy named Maxwell lay in a hammock in his yard on the west side of the village. His mother came with a glass of lemonade.

"Here you go, Max."

"Thanks Mom."

Max who was 16 was an adventurer. He was always going off someplace armed with his sword and shield. The village swordsman from the city of Palmacosta was teaching him skills.

Max then went back to sleep in his hammock after having a cool drink. He was shortly awakened by his friend Ponto.

"Max get up! Maxwell!

"Wha-what's happenning!", sputtered Max as he was shook out of his hammock. He fell with a thud on the hard ground.

"Ponto? What on earth are you doing pushing me out of my hammock while I'm sleeping?", he demanded.

"Guess what?, asked the short black-haired boy of 16, "There's a band of half-elves at the gate and their saying that they are going to make a fortress for themselves just inside the forest! Half-elves Max!"

"Half-elves? But what are they doing here in Iselia?", Max questioned.

Ponto shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me."

"Let's go!", said Max. "We have to see what they are up to."

"No Max!", said Ponto stopping Max from taking a step. "The mayor and the guards are speaking with them and he has sent all the villagers back to their homes."

"Probably a good idea too. You never know what those half-elves are gonna do."

"I overheard them speaking before I came to tell you. They called themselves Desians or somesort like that, and the leader was called Vernauga."

"I still think we should go check this out. Something's funny here. Why would these Desians make a fortress way out here practically in the middle of nowhere?, wondered Max.

"Probably to be hidden or something maybe?", replied Ponto.

"I guess. But I still want to know what's happenning. Aren't you the least bit curious?"

"Well...I guess so. I mean this isn't good news for the village.", admitted Ponto. "Desians are unpredictable. My uncle from Palmacosta visited last week and said some Desians over there built a base not too far away in the hills."

"Well what are you waiting for? Let's go check this out!", said Max and they both ran towards the front gate of the village.

When they arrived they hid behind a wooden fence and peeked through the cracks. "Who's that?", Max pointed. There was a man with long green hair and green robe. His face was scarred and frowning. There was also a long green sword in a sheath at his side and he was surrounded by a couple guards.

"That guy scares me", said Ponto,"I'm pretty sure that's the Desian leader."

"He doesn't look very nice", Max replied.

"I still wonder what they're up to?", questioned Ponto.

"Shhhhh!",whispered Max, "Listen!"

_"I'm warning you to stay away from the ranch!",ordered Vernauga the Desian leader._

_"Yes, Lord Vernauga, whatever you say.", stuttered the mayor._

_"Remember, if anyone is seen in or even near the ranch, that would result in their instant death!_

_"Yes Lord Vernauga"._

_"Then good day to you. We will be rounding up the prisoners in the next couple days."_

_"P-prisoners?", the mayor stammered._

_"Yes you fool, prisoners. You will soon see what I'm talking about._

Vernauga and his guards walked away leaving the mayor and the couple people with him standing stunned.

"What was that all about?", Max asked.

"I don't know", muttered Ponto, "I wonder what he ment when he said he'll be 'rounding up the prisoners'?"

"I don't know either, but I don't like this green haired Desian one bit."

"Yeah he's bad news waiting to happen. I have a bad feeling about this..."

A short time later the mayor called a town meeting in the center of the village.

"Listen up everyone! I have something to announce."

Murmers and shouts were head in the crowd.

"Who were those people? Who was that green haired guy? What did they want in Iselia?"

Max turned to Ponto who were both in the midst of the crowd.

"I hope he tells us what's happenning."

"Everyone be quiet!", shouted the mayor, "Please, I will answer all of your questions.

Now first of all, as most of you know a group of people came to the gate demanding me. The thing is they aren't regular people. They are Desians. For those of you who don't know, Desians are a group of half-elves."

Whispers sprang up all over. "Half-elves?" "What do those half-breeds want here?"

"I will tell you what they wanted. Just please settle down! Okay, thank you. Anyways, they informed me that they are building a base of theirs in the middle of Iselia forest. Now what for they didn't tell me. But I'm guessing that they wanted to be out here because it's far away from everyone and everything. They probably just want to be hidden. They said that they want nothing to do with Iselia so you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

A shout rang out from the crowd, "But I heard the leader saying something about staying away from it?"

"Yes, that is correct", the mayor told, "The leader, Vernauga, told me to tell all villagers to stay completely away from their base, because they do not want people snooping around. So I hearby declare the region around the Desian base forbidden to everyone in the village! If you can help it just stay away from the forest all together. People violating that law will be severely punished! Now that is all. Thank you."

Murmers in the crowd started up again. "Forbidden from the forest?" "What does he mean severely punished?"

Max spoke to Ponto,"I bet that Vernauga told the mayor to forbid everyone from going there. I bet they're doing something confidential. They're up to something and I know it."

"Yeah that's probably true. I'm really curious about this..."

"You know what else I noticed? He never said anything about the prisoners that Vernauga talked about."

"Hey that's right!", Ponto remarked,"I wonder what Vernauga was talking about. I bet the mayor's hiding something from us."

"Well if that's so, then I vow to get to the bottom of this."

"Yeah I'm with you.", said Ponto. "But what are we gonna do?"

"How about interrogate the mayor?"

"Okay, let's go."

Max and Ponto walked over to the mayor's house where they heard talking coming from inside. They stopped outside the door and put their ears up to it to listen.

"John, I am really worried about this! I don't know what to do!", came the mayor's voice.

"Just resist. Don't give in to their plans. Whatever you do just don't.", came the voice from the man named John.

"But what do have to resist. Do you know what they could do to the village? We are nothing compared to them! I have no choice! We have to do what they say!"

"But mayor..."

"For the sake of this village."

"But what about the people that they will take."

"Taking a few people is better than taking the whole village, is it not?"

"I guess your right mayor."

"Take people away? What are they talking about?",whispered Max.

"I have a bad feeling about this...."

"Quit saying that!"

"Sorry", mumbled Ponto, "But I think they are talking about the Desians taking people. Right? At least that's what I think they are talking about. But how can the mayor just let them do this?"

"Maybe it's like the mayor said.", Max replied. "What do we have to resist? They could wipe us completely out!"

"Your right Max. What are we going to do?"

"Let's go back to my house and talk. I have a plan..."

They went back to Max's house where his Mom was waiting for him.

"Max! Did you hear? You can't go in the forest anymore because of those half-elves!"

"Yes Mom I know.", Max said.

Max and Ponto went into Max's room and closed the door.

"Okay, what's your plan?", Ponto asked Max.

"We assassinate Vernauga!"

"What?", Ponto yelled, "Are you freaking crazy!"

"Just listen. If Vernauga is killed, then the Desians will probably go somewhere else, because the reason they came here was to be hidden. Right? So then they'll just have to find somewhere else to hide."

"Well that could work. But just think, how are we going to do that? It's almost impossible! How are we going to get to him? The base is completely surrounded. Do you know how many Desians there are here?"

"No, it'll be easy. All we have to do is find two Desian guards and take them out. Then we sneak into the base disguised as Desian guards. It's foolproof!"

"Not quite", explained Ponto, "It's pretty risky. I don't know if I want to take that risk."

"But it's our only choice. It's the only way to get rid of the Desians! Plus maybe we can get someone else to come with us. We could ask Kenny?"

"Kenny)? Well he is pretty good."

"This is to save the village! So are you in or not?", Max questioned.

"Sure, I guess.", Ponto sighed.

They went to Kenny's house to ask him he wanted to come with them on their mission to save the village from the Desian threat. Kenny was a skilled swordsman like Max. He was 18 with jet black hair that was medium length and hung over his eyes. He wore a black suit with a black hood and carried a big long steel sword with him.

After explaining to him what their plan was Kenny replied, "Well like you said Ponto, it is risky. But it just might work. Yeah, sure I'll come. I'll do anything for this village."

"Thanks.", Max said. "I knew I could count on you."

"So what are we waiting for?", asked Kenny. "Let's go. It's now or never."

They left the village without anyone noticing and heading to the Iselia forest. When they got close enough to the base that they could see it. They noticed a group of five guards walking from the base.

"Now's our chance!", whispered Max.

They jumped out from behind some trees and took the guards by surprise. Max and Kenny took out their swords and whacked them over their heads. Ponto grabbed a large stick and started thwacking the stuffing out of them too.

"Good job guys.", Ponto laughed. "Now let's get these suits on fast and get in that base."

They put on their disguises and headed to the base. The guard at the entrance gate let them in without saying anything. "So far so good.", muttered Max.

Then all of a sudden out of nowhere a large group of Desians who were led by Vernauga himself were marching out of the base.

"Hurry up Let's go take them offguard and grab as many as we can!", yelled Vernauga.

"They're going to the village!", Kenny whispered to the other two. "Let's follow them. We can't take Vernauga out right now. There's too many of 'em."

As Vernauga and the rest of the Desians left to the village. The three followed closely behind.

When the Desians reached Iselia the soldiers spread out yelling, "Take as many as you can!"

"Oh no! They're gonna take the villagers as prisoners! We have to stop them!", Max yelled aloud.

Apparently Max yelled that a little too loud and Vernauga and a couple guards turned their heads to them. "Look Lord!"

"Well what have we here?", mocked Vernauga the Desian leader.

"Were not going to let you attack the village!", Max yelled at them."You can't take us away! We aren't going to let you get away with this!"

Vernauga laughed an evil laugh. "If you dare to stand in my way, then prepare to die!"


End file.
